Liquid measuring and dispensing device



March 10, 1931. P. s. SHIELD LIQUID MEASURING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed March 8. 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l I /Nl/ENTo/e BY Q - ATTORNEY March 10, 1931. P. s. SHIELD LIQUID MEASURING AND'DIsPENsINcf DEVICE Filed March 8. 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY March 10, -19301. P, s. sHlELD 1,795,802

LIQUID MEASURING AND DISPENSING DEVICE Filed March 8, 1929 s sheets-sheet 3 7A TTok/VEY Patented Mar. 10, 1931 PAUL S.v

SHIELD, CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR T AUGUSTINE DAVIS, JR., yOI" CIN- CINNALII, OHIO v namur .Esca Y LIQUID MEASURING AND `DISPENSINGr DEVICE Y Application filed-March 8,

The-invention relates to liquid vending apparatus, and Aparticularly to check-controlled apparatus for selling gasoline. Y

The device employs a plurality of measuring chambers, with automatic mechanism to cause eachl chamber to be iilled in turn while another is emptying through a delivery conduit. Liquid is pumped to these chambers by the purchaser, or it may be supplied under 1U pressure in any., suitable manner, and the iuid pressure isutilized to operate the said automatic mechanism. The supply of liquid, however, is controlled by a master element,

preferably a valve, which is controlled ink 15 turn by a predeterminer, the latter controlled by said automatic mechanism,- and this predeterminer can be set only on the deposit of aftoken or check.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the predeterminer turns only in one d irection. It is turned a certain Y distance through the intermediation of a check, thereuponthe check is discharged and the predeterminer is carried onward by a spring or weight which then acts past a center.. The action of this spring, and notv that of the check-coupled agency, causes the master valve to open so that the dispenser can be operated. By then operating the dispenser, the predeterminer` is permitted by an escapement vto proceed under the action of said spring until the predetermined amount has been deliver'- ed, whereupon the predeterminer causes or permits the master valve to close.

'35 In the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof: Y. f

Fig. 1 is a schematic view, principally in vertical section, illustrating the invention, mechanisms which would lie one behindy another being shown side by side and shafts'on which a plurality of parts are mounted being projected by broken lines;

Fig. 2 is a sectionall view on a larger scale showing the check-controlled parts and parts immediately associated therewith in normal or-idle position; Y

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section taken at right angles to Figs. 1 and 2;

4 is a fragmentaryy view showing the check-controlled parts in the position in 1929. serial No. 345,428.

which the token or check isvdischarged'and from which the predeterminer will be carried onward by a spring; v Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a token kdisc; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective token disc. Y n The apparatus has twin measuring chambers 2 and 2?, mounted on a suitable frame or view of another casting 3 containing passages and pistony In actual practice this casting is a suitable pedestal or casing,

chambers. supported on which it has not been thought necessaryto illustrate and'which contains or supports a pump 4, a master valve, and a supply conduit 6 voir to the pump, thence to the valve, and thence to automaticvalve mechanism inthe casting 3 which controls they flow of liquid so thatJ one chamber 2 empties while the other is being filled, and vice-versa. This last portion of the supply conduit divides into two branches '.7 and 7a.

, The automatic valve mechanism pr'eferably includes a double piston .valve 8 oper-y ating in cylinder chambers 9 and 9a. `The branches 7 of the conduit 6 open into the leading from the underground reserouter ends of these chambers, andthe heads 10 and 10a of the valve are adapted to travel past ports 1l and 11a4 which communicate with passages 12 vand l2a'in the casting 3,* these passages or spaces extending down-v ward from the bottoms of the measuring d chambers 2.. A'delivery conduit 13y leads from a space 14 located vbetween the piston -valvepchambers 9 and :forming `part of the same` general cavity therewith. Itmay be Y understood that adelivery hose is connected y with the 4outer portion ofthis conduit.

The arrangement-is suchthat the valve 8 reciprocatesv between eXtreme portions, in one of which the head 10 cuts off'the port 11 from the'branch 7 of the supply conduit and places said port in communication with the delivery conduit 13, while at the same time the head 10acuts oli' the port 11a from the delivery conduit and places that port in communication withk the branch 7a o the supply conduit.

In the other position of the valve 8, these conditions are reversed.

A double-ended pressure actuated piston 14 operates in a cylinder chamber 15 which extends between and in communicationwith the spaces 12 and 12a. A rocker-arm 16 0peratively connects this piston with a rockshaft 17. Another rocker-arm 18 operative` ly connects the four-way reversing valve 8 with a rock-shaft 19.

A'quick-throw mechanism 20 is interposed between -the rock-shafts 17 and 19. This mechanism may comprise a rocker-arm 21 Xed to the rock-shaft 17 and having articulated connection with a telescopic link 22 containing a compression spring 23, the link 22 being pivotally connected with the lower end of a link 24, which, in turn, is freely pivoted at its upper end on the rockshaft 17. The links 22 and 24 are loosely connected at their lower ends with a rockerarm 25 which is fixed to the rock-shaft 19. Spaced abutments 26 cooperate with the arm 21.

The measuring chambers 2 and 22L have vents 27 and 27a at the top, each adapted to be closed when its chamber is lilled with liquid, by a float valve 28 or 28a. A conduit '29,may connect the float chambers 30 and When the master valve 5 is open, operation of the pump 4 will supply liquid to the measuring chamber 2a (assuming the parts to be in the position of Fig. l), until that chamber is lilled and its vent valve 28a is automatically closed. The operator or customer continues to pump, and the pressure on the liquid which then develops in the chamber 2a and its connected spaces 12a and 9a acts on the right-hand end of the piston 14 so as to move the latter to the left. rlhis movement rocks the shaft '17L and straightens the links 21 and 22, compressing` the springA 23. As soon as' these links are carried past their line of centers, the spring 23 quickly throws the toggle to a position reverse to that shown in Fig. 1, thereby' throwing the link 24 tothe right. This in turn quickly shifts the reversing valve 8 to its other eXtreme position, whereupon the meas'-V ured quantity of liquid flows out of V'the chamber 2a and its passage space 12a to and vthrough the delivery conduit 13, while liquid from thepump proceeds to enter the measuring chamber 2.

This cycle of operations is repeated until the master valve 5 is closed, preventing any more liquid being supplied to the measuring chambers and the automatic valve mechanism.

It will be understood that the capacity of each measuring chamber is inclusive of its passage space 12 or 12a. This capacity may be one gallon, for example, or any other suit-able predetermined volume.

rlhe type of dispensing meter illustrated is known, a similar meter being disclosed in the Carbonaro Patent 1,612,488, dated December 28, 1926. Consequently, the present invention does not reside in the particular construction of the meter and the automatic mechanism which has been described.

A predeterminer disc 31 is fixed to a rotati able shaft 32 which is journaled in suitable supports on the vending machine. This .pre1

determiner controls the master-'valve 5.` AsV shown, it is provided with a cam projection 33 adapted toact on a roller 34 on the end of a lever 5, which is ulcrumed at 36 on a stationary pivot and is arranged to act on the stem 37 of the valve 5, so that when the cam projection passes under the roller 34 the said valve is opened against theaction of its spring 38, while when the roller rests on the low portion or the periphery of the disc this valve is closed. Y

Vlwo ratchet or escapement wheels 39 and 40 are also fzed, side Vby side, on the shaft The wheel 39 has a series of teeth 41 eX- tending over a portion of its periphery, and the wheel 40 has another series of teeth 42 extending over a portion ofA its periphery, these two sets of teeth being in ditlerent'positions on the two wheels. Naturally the two wheels might be consolidated in one member, as they virtually are.

The teeth 41 and 42 are designed to cooperate, respectively, with escapement dogs 43 and ln the idle condition of the mechanism'the esca )ement wheels 39 and 40 are in suoli positions that the teeth 41 and 42 are Yrotationally at considerable distances from the esca-.pement dogs, and must turn through such distance in the clockwise direction (looking as in 1, 2 and 4) before the first tooth of the series 42 abuts against the dog 44.

rllhe'dogs are independently pivoted onka fixed pin 45, and a spring 46 acts on an arm 47 of the Vdog 44 to hold the latter in, and to yrestore it to, a position in which it will intercept the teeth 42. A pin 48 on this dog acts on the dog 43, so that the action of said spring normally holds this dog out of the path of the teeth 41. Y

Ilhe escapement is actuated from some part of the automatic mechanism of the meter, preferably from the shaft 17, which is provided with an arm 49, which is connected with the dog 43 by a link 50. The arrange-V ment is such that the oscillatory shaft 17 makes a single movement stroke for each quantity delivered from one of the measuring chambers. In the course of such movement whether in one cirection or the other, the dog 44 is withdrawn from a tooth 42 and the dogV 43 is mov-ed into the path of a tooth 41, permitting the step, `whereupon the dog 43 is withdrawn and predeterminer 31 to turn haltl a remains ope-;

' the pockets, torce 21 vtoken out oir-the po'elrr the dogged advanced, permitting'the prede- Vternir-.ier to advance 'another half step.

JrEhe fpi'edeterininei: and the escapenient wheels areacted uponhy a firing; 5l which is connected one endto. a crank 52 on the shatt 32 and at the other -endto a fixed anchoran'e 53. The spring normally holds the .parts 5l, 39 and Il() the positions repretion. @ne part of this movement under the mi l action of the spring` 52ivi'll carry tiie camV slope 5eunder the roi r oel ofthe arin thereby ope' e the mast-cr valve 5, which long,Y as the roller is on the high concentric surface ofthe caniprojection. This surface is of such extent that the master `valve remains open for predetei mined number ofoperations ofthe meter, corresponding; to the amount of liquid which iS to he delivered ier the deposit of one'tolren, check or coin, as hereinafter described.

iwo to-lren discs 55 and 56 are mounted on the shaft 32, the vdisc 55 being fixedv to the shaft, and the disc56 .being loose on shaft in the sense that this disc and the shart can turn relatively-to eachother. y

rlhese two @discs lare .provided in their con 4tiouous faces with coin ileinental -Vioclrets 5T and 58 which when in vreeistrv areada'f ted 2 i n 1 n s o i. j i to receive a circular toieiiii, or it cculo oe a coin,'to couple the two discsftogetlier. These 'oclrets extend inward from theperiolieries p i l i L- vi i l l ofthe discsand are adapted to receive trie token linO in a ilario iarallel witl Y the laces e; u d 1 l of the discs ,5 5 and 56 and perpendicular to Vtheaxis of the shaft The rear side of hey pocket 58 of the disc preferably conforms to the circular con-y tour; of the token, while;tlie forward side-59 .of vthis pocket may entend oil more or less of a tangent. lin the disc 55tlierforward.side

.of the Docket 57 ure'lierahlv coiitornis toA i Y J ircle oli' the token, while the side 60 may loe cut away; The depth of the pockets may be varied., and, depending upon their depth, ha-lf'the diameter of the token, or

more or less hal- .the diameter, may he received therein.

lit-less than half the token is received in plied to the disc 56, transmitted through the token Vto thedisc 55, to turn the latter andthe connected parts in the clockwise'- direction v tl tend-to squeeze the i rl" mavhe preiiil'i vented hv a stationary arcuate guard, trough orraceway 6l; spaced from and concentric with the peripheries ci the discs 55 and 56 and extending undertliediscs from the place' where the token. is received bythe discs to the position.

place where it is discharged..v Even` it hall' the pockets, so that there'is little or noteiid` ency to force the token radiallyoutward, such a vguard serves the purpose oflreeping the token from dropping out before the time `for i its discharge.k

-ormore than half of the token is received 4.in v

The token is conducted to the receiving .l

.position hy a token chute 62 having alateral (or upward) entrance63, throughwhich the ,i

token is insonni-idv edgewise. '.lhis'entranceis `shown provided with a curved' rib '64; to fit the entrance63 before a-tolrenvis'depositedl and is then pushed inward. A detent 6,7 may he provided for holding'the slide in its inward rlhe inner end 68 of the slide is curved to forni a continuation of'tliefguard or raceway- 6l, when the slide Y.is iiigthisinward position. The slide may also Aserve to seat the token positively in the pockets of the tolrendiscs. f 1 y The disc 55 is normally held hy the spring 51 in the position in which its pocket 57 reg isters with the endy of the `token chute 62. li/leans could he provided for holding the disc 56 in a similar positionfotherwise this. disc 1 will he moved by hand to thesaid position- Itwill he understood that-the yvariousy parts which have heen described are housed inside a suitable casing` `or wall 69, a portionofl .which is shown in Fig. 8. Glutsid'e 4of this y wall there is arhandle 70 hjyineans ofiwhich y the,v disc 56 can he turned. Fixed stops 71 L05 and Z2 on this wall, or on ani7 other suitable part, cooperate with the Lhandle 70, or `with the disc 56, to limit the movement ofthe llatter in each direction.

:fit a point more than entrance 63 to the coin-cliutenopens through or outsidethe wall, and that the handle 66 on the outside.

rlhe oper-ation will he hrieily described.' An intending` purchaser pulls outy the slide 65, and inserts a token. Before the token can v It. will naturally 'he .understood that the Vwall or casing 69 is to he so arranged that ithe p n i600 distant'rroni Ile the end of the token chute 62,tnere isa'dis- .of the slide 65 and the detent 67 are likewise .1.20

enter the ypockets of vthe discsl 55 and 56, the 1525 disc 56 must loe turned counter-clockwise to. the receiving position, if itis not already in that position. This positionof .the disc 56 is determined lhy the stopk `71. `lith the .pochetslv and58in registry Witheach other1 `13 0 and opposite the lower end of the token chute 62, the token drops into the pockets, or will be seated therein by inward movement of the slide. These discs are now coupled, and the customer moves the handle 70 as far as it will go in the clockwise direction, the limit of movement in this direction being determined by the stop 7 2.

As long as the discs 55 and 56 remain coupled by the token, the disc 56 drives the disc 55, and with the latter the shaft 32, the predeterminer 31 and the escapement wheels 39 and 40. Further movement of the disc 56 is stopped when the pockets 57, 58, with the token therein, are at the exit 73. The cam projection 33 of the predeterminer has not yet acted on the roller 34, so that the master valve 5 is still closed. Thus, the mast-er valve is not opened by effort exerted by the pur chaser. In the condition where further turn- Y ing of the driving disc 56 is stopped, the point lof connection of the spring 51 with the shaft 32 has been carried somewhat past center, so that this spring, which was previously stretched, now carries the driven disc 55 onward in the same direction that it was moved by hand through the intermediation of the token. The rst effect of this movement of the disc 55 relative to the disc 56 is to eject the token, which passes away through the chutel 7 3. As the spring continues to turn the shaft 32, the disc 55, the predeterminer 31 and the escapement wheels 39 and 40, it

causes the slope 54 of the predeterminer to pass under the roller 34, camming this roller onto the high surface 33 of the predeterminer. Thereby the master valve 5 is opened. The spring continues to turn the parts fixed to the shaft 32 until the first tooth of the series of teeth 42 a-buts against the tip of the dog 44.

The customer now operates the pump 4 by means of its handle, which is accessible, and pumps liquid to the meter. The meter and its mode of operation need not Vagain, be described, beyond saying that the pressure on the iuid automatically operates, or causes the operation of, mechanism including the rockshaft 17, in step with the measuring and delivering of the quantities. In this way the escapement, including the dogs 44 and 45, is operated, to permit, or cause, the predeterminer 31 to turn until the last quantity is being delivered, at which time the predeterminer has been turned far enough so that the roller 34 drops off the abrupt, rear end 7 5 of the camprojection 33, causing the master valve 5 to close and preventing further sup ply of liquid to the meter.

In the particular instance illustrated, the escapement wheel 39 is shown provided with four teeth 41 and the wheel 40 is shown as having five teeth 42. This may correspond to a delivery of live gallons for each token placed in the machine. Obviously, the number of teeth may be greater or less, for a larger or a smaller delivery. As already stated, the capacity of one of the measuring vessels 2, 2a, together with that of the space 12 or 12a, need not be one'gallon. It could be two gallons, or any other unit or multiple or fraction of a unit, or an arbitrary quantity, adjustable or not by suitable means to regulate the deliveries in Vaccordance with the market price of the commodity.

The invention is notV necessarily limited to the particular construction and mode of operation which 'have beenillustrated and described. For example, it will suggest itself to those skilled in the art that the predeterminer can be controlled by the meter so as to be operated in conformity therewith, to bring about the closing of the master valve between the pump and the meter at the proper time, without the employmentof an escapement, and whether the predeterminer is spring actuated or not. Nevertheless, the general form of mechanism which has been described is preferred for its special advantages. While a master valve between a pump and the meter is preferred as the immediate means for stopping the supply of liquid to the meter, it will naturally suggest itself that other means may be utilized for stopping, interrupting or preventing such supply.

I claim: Y

1. A liquidvending device having a plurality of measuring chambers, means for conducting liquid therefrom, means for supplying liquid to said chambers, automatic mechanism operable by fluid pressure to cause each chamber in turn to be filled while another is emptying, a master element commanding the supply of liquid to said chambers to operate said mechanism, a rotatable predeterminer controlling said master element, said predeterminer adapted to Vturn in one direction, manual means for turning said predeterminer in said direction through the intermediation of a check to a position in which the check is discharged, a spring which then acts past a center for carrying said predeterminer onward in the same direction, thereby causing said master element to permit the supply of liquid, and an escapement for said predeterminer controlled byfsaid mechanism to allow the predeterminer to proceed farther under the action of said spring until it causes the master element to stop the supply.

2. Check-controlled apparatus, comprising `120v respectively driving and Y two members driven, side by side on a common axis, provided with complementary pockets adapted to receive a coupling check in a plane perpendicular to said axis, a chute adapted to deliver a check to said pockets when the latter are in a receiving position, a curved guard extending under said members from a receiving position to a discharging position,

eoY

dispensing means under the control of the driven one of said members, manual means for turning the driving disc andthereby the driven disc to a certain position, Where the check is discharged, automatic means fory :carrylng the vdriven member onward 1n the same direction and for then controlling said dispensing means, and a slide in said chute adapted to be pushed in after a check so that its end prevents the check Vfrom being exv Will be enteredin said pockets.

PAUL S. SHIELD. 

